March 10, 1999

Fighting erupts in Afghan central district: report Wed 10 Mar 99 - 09:23 GMT
ISLAMABAD, March 10 (AFP) - Fighting erupted Wednesday in Afghanistan's central district of Yowkalang between the Taliban militia and a rival faction, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported.

Start of peace talks on Afghanistan delayed Wed 10 Mar 99 - 11:42 GMT
ASHGABAD, March 10 (AFP) - The start of peace talks between Afghanistan's Taliban and their rivals was delayed by the late arrival of opposition representatives, a Turkmen foreign ministry spokesman said Wednesday.

U.S. says Taleban playing game on bin Laden reports
07:12 p.m Mar 09, 1999 Eastern
WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday that Afghanistan's ruling Taleban militia was playing a ``risky and unwise game'' by saying Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden had left its control.
Taleban welcomes U.N. move on limited return
05:26 a.m. Mar 10, 1999 Eastern
KABUL, March 10 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taleban movement said on Wednesday it welcomed plans by the United Nations to rebase international staff in the country after a seven-month absence.

Mystery disease in Afghan province declines after 200 deaths: UN Wed 10 Mar 99 - 12:38 GMT
ISLAMABAD, March 10 (AFP) - An influenza-like disease that claimed nearly 200 lives in Afghanistan's northeastern province of Badakhshan over the past two months is now on the wane, a United Nations agency said

Afghan peace talks today
Dawn
ASHKHABAD, March 9: Taliban officials and representatives of the Afghan opposition arrived here on Tuesday for extended peace talks, Turkmenistan's foreign ministry said.

Afghan gas pipeline still on agenda, Turkmens say
07:01 a.m. Mar 10, 1999 Eastern
By Mike Collett-White
ASHGABAT, March 10 (Reuters) - Turkmenistan said on Wednesday that plans to construct a natural gas pipeline through war-torn Afghanistan to Pakistan was still on the agenda despite major setbacks in recent months.

Iran sends medicines to Afghanistan TEHRAN (NNI): Iran Tuesday dispatched medical aid to Faizabad the capital of Badakhshan province of Afghanistan which recently experienced mysterious disease that claimed more than two hundred lives, reports Radio Tehran.

Emerging Afghan realities
Dawn (Opinion)
By Dr Maqbool Ahmad Bhatty
THE Afghan scenario has remained in a state of flux, mainly because of external involvement. The internal power struggle would have ended earlier, but for the desire of some powers to shape the outcome according to their own